Collaborations responsible for military gains—Group

By Anan Geolengs

A civil society organisation has said that
the leadership style, operational coordination and strong inter-service synergy championed by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Olufemi Oluyede, was responsible for gains recorded by the Nigerian Armed Forces in the fight against terrorism, kidnapping and oil theft.

The group, Coalition for National Security Advancement (CONSA), said the military had recorded remarkable successes in recent operations, including the killing of over 175 terrorists in coordinated offensives across various theatres of operation.

It stressed that the renewed tempo of military campaigns reflected a more strategic and intelligence-driven approach to tackling insecurity.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, the Executive Director of CONSA, James Adama, said the successes being recorded were largely due to improved collaboration among the Nigerian Army, Air Force and Navy under the direction of the defence leadership.

According to him, troops have also neutralised several high-profile terrorist commanders whose activities posed grave threats to national security, including the recent elimination of Abu Bakr al-Mainuki, described by Nigerian and U.S. officials as the second-in-command of the Islamic State group globally, during a joint Nigeria-United States operation in the Lake Chad Basin.

Adama said the successful operation against al-Mainuki and his lieutenants underscored the effectiveness of intelligence gathering, international cooperation and precision military coordination, adding that such achievements had weakened the operational capabilities of terrorist networks operating within and beyond Nigeria’s borders.

The CSO also commended the Armed Forces for intensifying rescue operations, noting that several kidnapped victims had been freed from terrorist enclaves and criminal hideouts through sustained military pressure and coordinated ground offensives in troubled regions.

He further praised ongoing efforts to tackle crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta, stating that security operations had dismantled illegal refining camps, disrupted economic sabotage networks and strengthened the protection of critical national assets.

“The current leadership style of the Armed Forces under the Chief of Defence Staff has encouraged professionalism, discipline and synergy among the services. What we are witnessing today are measurable outcomes of a coordinated military structure,” Adama stated.

While acknowledging that security challenges remain in parts of the country, the organisation urged citizens to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible intelligence to sustain ongoing gains against criminal elements.

CONSA expressed optimism that with sustained operational synergy, strategic leadership and continued support for troops, Nigeria would record even greater successes in defeating terrorism, combating organised crime and securing critical economic infrastructure.